Death notice

Abstract

Sarah Ellison, by email: Currently there are 39,447 registered dentists contributing over £30 million to the total operating income of the GDC. The announced increase will raise this figure by £18 million to a total of £48 million. So where does this money go? According to the GDC’s Annual Report 2012, their audited accounts show the vast majority is spent on staff costs (>£11 million) and legal and professional fees (>£10 million). So in reality, dentists are paying the salaries of the GDC members in order that they can help the public pursue claims against themselves. Given the ever-increasing trend in litigation, it is unsurprising that claims against dentists rose by 31% in 2011-12 and by 100% in the past five years. Comparing this to our medical colleagues, who also have seen a 100% complaints rise in the same time period, how is it that the General Medical Council (GMC) has managed to keep their AFR at £390, with those earning less than a £31,000 threshold receiving a 50% reduction in their ARF? The GMC have even been able to freeze or reduce fees by finding more efficient ways to deliver their service including the cost saving ebilling. Surely it would be fairest if the GDC took a leaf out of the book of the indemnity companies who base their fees on the number of days a dentist works, in which discipline and modify these when a dentist is on maternity or long-term sick leave. This proportions the cost of indemnity directly to the risk of complaints and subsequent financial loss to the indemnity company.